Cowboys vs. the Better Defenses (2008-09)

[percyhoward]

These are the seven teams that are allowing fewer than 300 total yards per game this season:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Giants
3. Green Bay
4. Washington
5. Jets
6. New England
7. Denver

I compared the performances of good teams against these defenses, to see where the Cowboys stack up. These are the 12 teams that would go to the playoffs if the season ended today, along with their 2009 record against those teams ranked in the Top 7 in total defense:
NO 2-0
NE 1-2
Cin 3-1
Min 2-1
GB 0-0
AZ 1-0
Jax 1-0
SD 2-2
Ind 1-0
Phi 2-0
Pit 1-0
Dal 1-3

Two things impressed me.

First, that 10 of the 12 "playoff teams" were .500 or above against these differences. In fact, the "playoff teams" are a combined 17-9 so far in games against top 7 defenses. I would have thought it would be around .500.

But while the rest of the "playoff teams" are 16-6, Dallas is only 1-3, with the lone win coming in a game in which it scored 7 points.

It's a trend that continues from last year, when the Cowboys were 3-5 against top 7 defenses. But then last year, Dallas wasn't a playoff team.

 

[Hypnotoad]

Spinning this positively,

We are 7-3 and the 3 losses we had were to 'top 7 defenses.' And two of those loses were close games.

Now explain why these amazing, unstoppable, week 12 Playoff teams lost to the below mentioned opponents:

NE 1-2 - Jets
Cin 3-1 - Houston, Oakland
GB 0-0 - Tampa Bay
AZ 1-0 - 49ers, Carolina
Jax 1-0 - Tennessee, Seattle
SD 2-2 - Baltimore
Phi 2-0 - Oakland, Dallas
Pit 1-0 - Chicago, Cincinnati*2, Chiefs

Also, YPG defense stat sucks. PPG is the way to go.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Spinning this positively,

We are 7-3 and the 3 losses we had were to 'top 7 defenses.' And two of those loses were close games.

Now explain why these amazing, unstoppable, week 12 Playoff teams lost to the below mentioned opponents:

NE 1-2 - Jets
Cin 3-1 - Houston, Oakland
GB 0-0 - Tampa Bay
AZ 1-0 - 49ers, Carolina
Jax 1-0 - Tennessee, Seattle
SD 2-2 - Baltimore
Phi 2-0 - Oakland, Dallas
Pit 1-0 - Chicago, Cincinnati*2, Chiefs

Also, YPG defense stat sucks. PPG is the way to go.

Brilliant !! My optomistic friend!

 

[Idgit]

We tend to forget that we played 8 top-7 defenses last year. Ouch.

 

[percyhoward]

We tend to forget that we played 8 top-7 defenses last year. Ouch.

It's a product of being an NFC East team, where all the defenses have been above-average the last two years. I think our December slides are, in great part, the result of going up against good defenses.

 

[percyhoward]

Spinning this positively,

We are 7-3 and the 3 losses we had were to 'top 7 defenses.' And two of those loses were close games.

Now explain why these amazing, unstoppable, week 12 Playoff teams lost to the below mentioned opponents...

Also, YPG defense stat sucks. PPG is the way to go.

Or even points per play, because a good ball control offense can keep its own defense's PPG low.

But I wasn't trumpeting YPG, just pointing out how we play exceptionally worse than average (among "good teams") against these defenses. Whether or not it's a good stat, there is a trend here. It's this kind of defense (or defenses that get the same kind of results) that gives the Cowboys an unusual amount of trouble.

 

[Biggems]

These are the seven teams that are allowing fewer than 300 total yards per game this season:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Giants
3. Green Bay
4. Washington
5. Jets
6. New England
7. Denver

I compared the performances of good teams against these defenses, to see where the Cowboys stack up. These are the 12 teams that would go to the playoffs if the season ended today, along with their 2009 record against those teams ranked in the Top 7 in total defense:
NO 2-0
NE 1-2
Cin 3-1
Min 2-1
GB 0-0
AZ 1-0
Jax 1-0
SD 2-2
Ind 1-0
Phi 2-0
Pit 1-0
Dal 1-3

Two things impressed me.

First, that 10 of the 12 "playoff teams" were .500 or above against these differences. In fact, the "playoff teams" are a combined 17-9 so far in games against top 7 defenses. I would have thought it would be around .500.

But while the rest of the "playoff teams" are 16-6, Dallas is only 1-3, with the lone win coming in a game in which it scored 7 points.

It's a trend that continues from last year, when the Cowboys were 3-5 against top 7 defenses. But then last year, Dallas wasn't a playoff team.

we scored 31 against the Giants.....

 

[BourbonBalz]

we scored 31 against the Giants.....

And that was while turning the ball over 4 times.

 

[Biggems]

And that was while turning the ball over 4 times.

exactly

 

[percyhoward]

we scored 31 against the Giants.....

Of the 12 playoff teams, 10 have better records than we do against the better defenses. If we could wave a wand and turn that Giants game into a win, then 8 of the 12 playoff teams have better records than we do. Maybe we could work some more magic and move up to 7th, but you get the picture.

The teams that are leading their divisions right now are 12-6 against the better defenses. They win 2 out of every 3 games. We're 1-3, and it's a legit 1-3. You can't point to the Giants game where we scored 31 in a loss and ignore the Skins game where we scored 7 in a win. It's 1-3.